A Canonsburg man pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges accusing him of the sexual exploitation of minors District Judge Nicholas Ranjan at the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh and pleaded guilty to two counts for attempting to receive or distribute child sexual abuse material on multiple occasions in September and October 2021 along with another instance in February 2024 Darby also acknowledged altering and destroying information on his cellphone to obstruct the investigation If you have an account and are registered for online access sign in with your email address and password below Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe Copyright © Observer-Reporter | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Canon-McMillan School District sold the former Canonsburg Middle School last week paving the way for the conversion of the building at 25 E president of the Canonsburg Educational & Cultural Institute (CECI) According to Washington County’s property tax website “Collaboration with the school district helped get us across this milestone,” Colaizzo said “We have a great working board that has led the way.” The nonprofit CECI was formed in 2021 with a mission to improve cultural opportunities to communities through outreach and related programs CECI envisions the former middle school campus as an anchor to provide resources and services to support unmet needs for the community and surrounding areas to build on the success of the revitalized downtown Canonsburg The former middle school opened in 1967 as Canon-McMillan Junior High School and continued serving students until January 2023 A purchase agreement was worked out in June 2023 for the 150,000-square-foot building The property consists of approximately 5.6 acres of land CECI will continue to house The Jefferson Historical Society and maintain the log cabin that became Jefferson College the first such institution west of the Alleghenies The sale enables CECI to proceed with the first phase of the project which involves converting the auditorium into a theater with between 500 and 600 seats and a reception area sound and restrooms will receive upgrades and seats will be replaced A parking lot will be built across the street Colaizzo said that phase should take at least a year to complete Other plans include turning the gymnasium into a family recreational center making the cafeteria into an area for restaurants and upgrading the classrooms for adult education and children services Initial plans call for the swimming pool to remain Colaizzo previously said the entire project carries a price tag of about $20 million A number of grants have already been committed or secured to offset the cost including a $1 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant awarded in November Other gifts or grants include $650,000 in CECI board commitments; $500,000 from the Washington County Local Share Account; $285,000 from the Greater Canonsburg Economic Development Committee; $40,000 from the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency; $5,000 from Bowles Rice LLP Colaizzo said there is a lot of excitement about filling a void in Washington County for a cultural center “We are motivated and excited about our partnerships and potential collaboration opportunities that are in front of us,” Colaizzo said “The CECI Campus will help transform Canonsburg and our region We look forward to providing a place where people with a passion can share it with others.” Leslie Peters and newly appointed Suzanne Malausky Jay Romero was a board member until his death in 2022 Other former board members include Mike Malone and Gene Tempesta The race for Canonsburg area magistrate will be competitive for the upcoming primary election after an appellate court decided a candidate whose residency was being questioned should remain on the ballot The state Commonwealth Court on Monday affirmed a lower court’s ruling allowing candidate Charles “Chuckie” Tenny to remain on the ballot in his bid to unseat incumbent District Judge James Saieva Jr Three Democratic and three Republican voters challenged Tenny’s candidacy last month alleging he lives at a Fayette County property with his wife and not at the Canonsburg Borough duplex where he’s claimed residency for the past 24 years and is registered to vote Senior Judge Katherine Emery listened to arguments from both sides during a March 21 hearing at the Washington County Courthouse and decided Tenny had proven he was a Canonsburg resident and that his financial disclosure filings were in order despite objections from the challengers who represented the objectors during the hearing filed an appeal March 31 to Commonwealth Court but the three-judge panel rejected his request to overturn Emery’s decision “The Trial Court did not err in determining that Objectors failed to carry their heavy burden of demonstrating that Candidate’s nomination petitions are false with regard to statements about Candidate’s residency,” Judge Christine Fizzano Cannon wrote in the panel’s opinion the totality of the evidence presented illustrates the opposite – that Candidate continues to live for the majority of the time at the (Washington County) Property a residence that he has long maintained in Canonsburg and has only relatively recently acquired a second home that he visits on weekends as one would a beach home or cabin in the mountains.” Schneider could not be reached for comment Monday to discuss the Commonwealth Court’s decision or whether he planned to appeal that decision to the state Supreme Court which could have serious ramifications on the timeline to send out mail-in ballots ahead of the May 20 primary the Washington County election’s office will now be able to prepare its mail-in and absentee ballots for all county voters since it has been delayed in finalizing those documents while awaiting a ruling on Tenny’s candidacy Washington County Elections Director Melanie Ostrander said her office has received about 10,500 mail-in ballot requests so far with about 8,000 coming from Democrats and roughly 2,500 from Republicans Despite only one race being in question – the magisterial district includes Canonsburg Houston and North Strabane – all ballots were being delayed because the entire database of candidates must be finalized before being approved Ostrander and the elections office have been at a “standstill” waiting for a decision by the appellate court I’m ready to make a (ballot) test deck and go,” Ostrander said of how Monday’s ruling will help her move forward Ostrander and some of her staff may have been forced to work over the Easter weekend to get the ballots ready to go she hopes to get the ballots finished and send them to the printer today before picking them up Friday That means all the ballots requested so far will be sent out to voters by the end of the month giving them more than three weeks to fill out their choices and return them to the elections office before the 8 p.m “Now that we got an order – barring an appeal – we’re on schedule now,” Ostrander said Both Tenny and Saieva are cross-filed candidates running in both the Democratic and Republican primaries who is a Canonsburg police detective and has been adamant that he’s a borough resident said he was happy that he’ll be able to remain on the ballot “I am very pleased with the Commonwealth Court’s decision to affirm Senior Judge Katherine Emery’s order allowing me to remain on the primary ballot,” Tenny said in a written statement “I have been serving the people as a police officer for over 30 years on the federal and local level I will continue to fight to be able to continue to serve the people of Canonsburg North Strabane and Houston as their next magisterial district judge.” Schneider represented Democrat James Spingola and Republican John Lombardo in the appeal to Commonwealth Court The final day to register for the primary or change voter information is May 5 and the final day to request a mail-in ballot is May 13 Work began this week on East Pitt Street in Canonsburg and the Langeloth neighborhood of Smith Township as Pennsylvania American Water Co crews and its contractors replace water lines The two projects cost a combined $5.4 million and will replace two miles of water mains in portions of the two communities in Washington County The water lines will improve reliability for customers reduce service disruptions and increase water flows for firefighting The company’s contractors will install eight- and 12-inch ductile iron pipes replacing aged water mains that were installed in the 1950s The work began Tuesday on East Pitt in Canonsburg and started Wednesday on Townsite Street in Langeloth which will then spread out to neighboring streets in the village in Smith Township and traffic restrictions will be in place during construction The company expects to complete the main installation including connecting all customer service lines to the new mains customers might experience temporary service interruptions discolored water and/or lower than normal water pressure Allegheny Health Network Canonsburg Hospital is marking its 120th anniversary of providing care to residents in Washington County and Southwestern Pennsylvania The anniversary comes at a time when the health system is planning to build a new state-of-the-art hospital and campus in Canonsburg that will open in 2027 AHN Canonsburg owes its beginnings to the perseverance of 29 women who were members of Canonsburg’s Shakespeare Literary Club in 1923 the women fundraised and purchased a downtown Canonsburg home on Barr Street for $2,000 and then chartered the Canonsburg General Hospital Association that Barr Street home became the first Canonsburg General Hospital a Canonsburg newspaper that operated from 1903 to 1980 reported on the hospital’s grand opening reception on Oct “It was a grand success … the future Canonsburg General Hospital will be an institution of which the towns in the upper valley and the country region on either side will be proud.” The hospital’s first patient was a woman who was thrown from her horse and carriage She was treated for injuries and recovered – “and at least got back on the horse,” said an AHN spokesperson the hospital outgrew the Barr Street house and moved to a red-brick hospital that was constructed on the same street “This incredible group of bold women turned a community service project into a 54-bed health-care facility which would welcome more than 900 babies into the world and heal more than 9,000 sick and wounded by 1930,” said Dr “It’s a privilege to celebrate this hospital’s 120th anniversary and pay homage to its legacy of being an integral part of the health and well-being of this amazing Canonsburg General applied for state permission to build a new That hospital opened in 1983 at 100 Medical Blvd. Canonsburg Hospital became part of the former West Penn Allegheny Health System in 2000 the hospital employs more than 400 people and provides a comprehensive portfolio of health-care services to patients including complex cardiovascular care inpatient rehabilitation and emergency care According to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission has experienced moderate growth over the past decade; however the communities around Canonsburg – including Cecil North Strabane and Peters townships – have experienced considerably more growth with continued population gains projected for the coming decade AHN announced plans to build a new full-service all-private-room hospital in Washington County to replace the existing Canonsburg Hospital The approximate 300,000-square-foot facility will be built on AHN Canonsburg’s existing Medical Boulevard campus in North Strabane The network will also develop a new clinical campus to accommodate additional facilities including a medical office building and a potential future cancer center “We’re extremely pleased to embark on this exciting project alongside our partners at Highmark Health and in close collaboration with our trusted caregivers patients and the entire Canonsburg community,” said Kelly Kassab “The new Canonsburg hospital will be a beautiful facility equipped with leading clinicians from a wide range of specialties and subspecialties We’re confident it will not only meet the area’s growing demand but also pay tribute to the hospital’s long standing legacy of compassionate AHN Canonsburg hospital has been recognized with several industry awards and accolades over the years It was the first hospital in Western Pennsylvania to achieve Pathway to Excellence designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center which recognizes health-care organizations for their commitment to creating a healthy and positive work environment the hospital earned the highest level of achievement from the American Heart Association for its excellence in heart failure care Canonsburg has received a county Local Share Account (LSA) grant for $90,000 to begin flood remediation in the business district on the west end of the borough Flooding on McBurney Road has been an issue for some time An area stream flows through Chartiers Township and onto West Pike Street in Canonsburg resulting in flooding near Pike Plaza and a number of businesses Metro Heating and Cooling and Community Motors “That area down there gets flooded pretty often,” said Rich Russo “We finally have received some funding to address that.” The borough had unsuccessfully sought grants from the state Department of Community and Economic Development to address the problem Chartiers Township supervisors voted to approve a letter of support for Canonsburg’s LSA application “One of the reasons we got a grant when we applied was because we got a support letter from Chartiers,” Russo said “They did a mutual borough/township support letter which we were very thankful for and happy that they supported our effort because some of this is a result of a downstream flow from Chartiers Township.” said during large rain events the stream overflows and sends mud to four businesses Russo said the work will include installing new culverts jetting existing pipeline that runs underneath the road and dredging stream banks the Canonsburg Volunteer Fire Department received a state grant of $25,000 to replace the electronic sign at the front of the borough building The current sign has been in place for about 12 to 15 years and the quality of the messages displayed has declined With the closing date for the sale of the former Canonsburg Middle School set for next week the conversion of the building into a community center moved a step closer told borough council Monday that the tentative closing date is March 19 The organization previously declined to disclose the price until after the sale is finalized CECI is a nonprofit formed in 2021 whose mission is to provide enriching cultural opportunities to communities through outreach and related programs “We really believe that this is going to be a transformational opportunity for our town,” said Colaizzo the understanding we got from people in the industries we need to work with to make this happen have all been extremely positive There is absolutely no doubt that this is going to have a significant positive impact on our community.” The former Canonsburg Middle School opened in 1967 as Canon-McMillan Junior High School and continued serving students until January 2023 when a new middle school opened off Route 519 Colaizzo said the first phase involves converting the 860-seat auditorium – once the venue for middle school plays and spring musicals – into a theater with between 500 and 600 seats with a reception area by the entrance “When the school became available we wanted to make it a productive thing that would enhance the town as opposed to something that already exists,” Colaizzo said “We want to present to the community high-quality Our objective is to offer things to the community that don’t exist.” making the cafeteria into an area for restaurants and upgrading the classrooms to be used for adult education and children services Colaizzo said there has been a lot of interest from various groups to use the building Colaizzo said the entire project would carry a price tag of about $20 million A grant from Canonsburg’s Department of Economic Development covered the cost of hiring a group to handle strategic planning and prepare mission statements Colaizzo said Monday help would be needed along the way “There’s lots of money involved,” Colaizzo said “The whole operation will be tens of millions of dollars But we figure with the phased-in approach we can bring something new into the community on a consistent basis over the next several years.” there are no similar cultural centers in Washington County The plans for this building could fill that void “There are a number of people in the county that are very concerned about the arts dying in Washington County,” Colaizzo said “This will give that a significant boost.” Other moves unanimously approved by council Monday include: John Drive and Lucia Drive for road paving and adding Gladden Road from First Street to Second Street as an alternate Submitting a grant application to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for $125,000 which is 50% of the project cost of $250,000 for new restrooms at Canonsburg Town Park and a coinciding motion to approve a grant match not to exceed 50% of the total project Prohibiting parking at all times on the east side of Summit Avenue between Morgan Street and Taylor Alley Townview Health & Rehabilitation Center’s activities room was filled on Monday with the festive trappings of a birthday celebration: balloons a retired nurse whose career spanned more than 40 years – including 3 ½ decades as a beloved ICU nurse at Canonsburg Hospital – celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by family the former Canonsburg General Hospital where she now resides AHN Canonsburg Hospital Director of Nursing Jamie Price and Chief Nursing Director Joy Peters presented DeJohn with a 35-year service pin and a giant card signed by hospital staff members who wore a bejeweled tiara atop her snow white hair and exchanged hugs with staff and guests generations of Koliches and DeJohns gathered at a celebration at North Franklin Fire Hall to fete the centenarian She has more energy than you and me put together She’s still the kind and gentle soul she’s always been and she still has her ornery side,” said Chris DeJohn Throughout her nursing career at Canonsburg Hospital and then at the current AHN Canonsburg Hospital on Medical Boulevard where she served as one of the first nurses in the ICU when the hospital was built in 1983 I tried my best to be kind to everybody and give them the help that I can and doctors and patients depended on you,” said DeJohn She graduated from Chartiers-Houston High School’s first graduating class in 1942 and after hearing on the radio about a government program that would cover the cost of nursing school she enrolled in Canonsburg Hospital’s nursing school She worked at West Penn Hospital for several years and in 1958 took a nursing job in the ICU at Canonsburg Hospital where she remained until her retirement in 1993 The career choice was a perfect one for DeJohn whose compassion and cheerfulness endeared her to patients and co-workers I learned so much from her over the years,” said Dawn Grim who is a nurse in the PACU at AHN Canonsburg and worked with DeJohn in the ICU and the patient always came first for Aggie and she gave me a lot of pointers that helped me throughout my career She was always willing to jump in and help anyone I was blessed to have her as a mentor and to work with her She was a person you just wanted to know and be around.” DeJohn’s nighttime work schedule prevented her from getting much sleep DeJohn would get her three sons off to school and her late husband off to work before going to sleep from 9 a.m she’d do house chores until the boys came home catching an hour or so of sleep until she had to head into the hospital “Both my mom and my dad’s attitude was to take care of everybody “Mom made sure people were physically and mentally well She was always willing to listen and always there for a patient if they needed someone to talk to,” he said Her nurturing also extended into the kitchen where DeJohn “cooked up a storm,” said Chris my crew members would fight over who’d come with me when I stopped by Mom’s house because she had to feed everybody She was a very good cook and she loved to cook and host people,” said Chris and said her favorite item to make was pizzelles and she’d bake them by the hundreds for weddings the Pittsburgh Pirates won their second World Series to whom she was married for 56 years before he passed away in 2006 she has seen first-hand the advances in technology “I’ll be out there and I see a patient and I think DeJohn doesn’t know if there is a secret to reaching the 100 milestone – and keep yourself in order and neat,” she said briskly navigating the second-floor hallways aided by a walker and knowing my family is well and doing what I can to keep the family together,” she said The decision to allow a candidate for the Canonsburg-based magistrate’s position – whose residency was questioned over whether he lived here or in Fayette County – is being appealed to state Commonwealth Court Attorney Chad Schneider filed the appeal Monday afternoon asking the appellate court to review Senior Judge Katherine Emery’s decision letting Charles “Chuckie” Tenny to stay on the May 20 primary ballot after she said he provided enough evidence that he lives in Canonsburg Three registered Republicans and three registered Democrats represented by Schneider challenged Tenny’s residency claiming he really lives in a Menallen Township home in Fayette County where his wife They also claimed Tenny did not properly fill out his financial disclosure statements because he did not include income from property management companies he’s invested in nor rent he gets from a tenant living in the unit attached to his Canonsburg duplex But following a March 21 hearing in Washington County Court of Common Pleas Emery determined there was not enough evidence within the claims to remove Tenny from the ballot Tenny is running as a cross-filed candidate in both the Republican and Democratic primaries running against incumbent District Judge James Saieva Jr The magisterial district includes Canonsburg The Commonwealth Court will likely expedite review of the appeal since the mail-in ballots for voters living in that district cannot be printed until it’s known whether Tenny will be permitted to remain in the race A candidate for the Canonsburg-based magisterial district judge seat whose residency is being questioned will be allowed to remain on the May 20 primary election ballot after a judge determined he provided enough evidence showing that he lives in the borough Charles “Chuckie” Tenny brought utility bills voter registration information and pay stubs showing he lives and pays taxes in Canonsburg during a hearing Friday morning in which several Republican and Democratic voters challenged his residency and claimed he instead lives in a Fayette County home he and his wife built in 2022 the attorney who represented the challengers during the hearing at the Washington County Courthouse argued that Tenny actually lives in the Smock area of Menallen Township in Fayette County where he and his wife have a deed to the property But Senior Judge Katherine Emery appeared skeptical of that argument and asked for more proof “Deeds don’t tell me where someone lives,” Emery said “The election code says a person resides where their family lives,” Schneider responded “Our position is he resides with his wife at that Fayette house.” is registered to vote at that Fayette County address but Tenny is registered in Canonsburg and pays local income tax to the borough “I’ve maintained that address and apartment and I’ve lived there 24 or 25 years now,” Tenny said alluding to the duplex that property records show he bought in October 2001 Tenny told Emery that he spends two or three nights a week at the Menallen Township house with his wife – usually on weekends – and spends the other days of the week in Canonsburg where he works as a borough police detective That Fayette County property is meant to eventually be his retirement home with his wife although he still has the Canonsburg house to allow him an easy daily commute to work Schneider called that a “place of convenience” and that his wife living elsewhere proved that the other residence should be considered Tenny’s home making him ineligible to run for magistrate here Emery disagreed as she denied that portion of the challenge “Their personal relationship is not the only thing The court is looking at everything: Where he’s registered to vote where he pays his taxes,” Emery said “There’s certainly not enough evidence that he lives in Fayette County.” But Schneider also said Tenny did not properly fill out his financial interest statement pointing to rental income he receives from a tenant at the Canonsburg duplex along with money from two property management companies that he has a business stake in Tenny offered to amend his financial statement but Emery had heard enough at that point since there was no evidence about the amount of income he received “But his own testimony admitted that he has rental income,” Schneider said “I’ve made my ruling,” Emery said as she allowed Tenny to remain on the ballot Tenny is a cross-filed candidate running against incumbent District Judge James Saieva Jr in both the Republican and Democratic primary elections on May 20 for the magistrate’s position that covers Canonsburg Schneider said he would talk to the challengers and decide soon whether to appeal Emery’s ruling Emery will decide the fate of another candidate in the Canonsburg-based magistrate’s race Monday after he said the challenge documents for him were merely taped to his door Wednesday without personal service the delay to give him more time to hire a lawyer or prepare his case against the challenge that claims 13 of the 108 signatures he received were invalid Emery allowed Michael Kazmarski to remain on the Democratic ballot for Cecil Township supervisor because he dropped off his financial interest documents at the municipal building on the evening of the May 11 deadline to do so she agreed that Daniel Ostrowski should be removed from the Republican ballot for Cecil supervisor since he turned in his financial documents more than a week late The developer of the Midtown Market project in downtown Canonsburg is anticipating a spring grand opening will provide space to multiple tenants at the site of the former McCrory’s Five and Dime Store and most recently Hidden Treasures thrift and consignment store “We are currently in the phase of under construction,” said Andrew Andronas “What we are working toward in the next two to three weeks is the beginning of all of the plumbing modifications We are growing from one tenant on the first floor to five or six “We have a lot of work to do there that we hope to have done by mid-January we will begin framing and building out of the individual spaces with hopes of turning those over to the tenants by the end of February with a springtime opening as the potential moving target.” a 100-year-old hot dog business based in New Castle The business already acquainted itself with Canonsburg serving as a co-sponsor for the borough’s hot dog eating contest that kicked off the annual Fourth of July celebration this past summer “This will be the first franchise location south of Pittsburgh,” Andronas said “They’ve done some events in town leading up to their arrival They will be located front right from the street perspective which will make it pretty convenient to grab and go and to be able to cater to foot traffic.” The eatery will also have seating for 20 to 30 diners a Canonsburg native and current North Strabane resident said a couple of other businesses have made commitments but MP Coney Island is the only tenant to be announced “We’re trying to make it pretty special,” he said “We’re in the process of examining some other tenants and options We want it to be a mix of retail shopping and eateries We’re really trying to be selective.” Mayor Dave Rhome welcomes the new venture to the borough is just a super idea that is going to allow more businesses to come to Canonsburg and allow us to continue to showcase what we’re all about in the way of people coming here and shopping local and putting more feet on the sidewalk,” Rhome said “That makes your town more prosperous … I am just overwhelmed by the participation of the team that has been assembled We’re just working to be very prosperous in the town.” Launching the project in his hometown is special to Andromas a 2005 graduate of Canon-McMillan High School He’s already involved in the community serving as co-chair of Canonsburg’s Old Fashioned Christmas and is part of preservation efforts of the Robert Stone House “Our little town has always been great,” Andronas said “The more I got involved in the community I felt like we were on the brink of something special and there’s a nice little buzz going on and it’s really cool to see it kind of fall into fruition.” Citing his more than 35 years in local and federal law enforcement “Chuckie” Tenny announced his candidacy for magisterial district judge in the communities of Canonsburg plans to çross-file for both the Democratic and Republican ballots in the May 20 primary election Tenny started his career as an officer for both North Strabane Township and East Washington Borough He eventually found his permanent home at the Canonsburg Police Department where he has served as a detective sergeant for narcotics and intelligence as well as a task force officer for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration Although the most recent years of his career have focused heavily on narcotics he has gained a wealth of experience in handling various civil matters during his decades as an officer Tenny has conducted numerous drug trafficking overdose death investigations which resulted in the arrest and conviction of several dangerous fentanyl dealers He has conducted undercover drug interdiction at the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and for the U.S and has apprehended drug traffickers in partnership with local “I have advocated for victims’ rights and fought the scourge of illegal narcotics that destroy lives and harm communities,” Tenny said “We are all aware of the troubling issue with opioid addiction locally but I can state from experience that the problem spans far wider than imagined as well as a wide spectrum of crime and public safety needs over the years makes me uniquely qualified for the position of magisterial district judge.” In order to pursue the opportunity to run for office he has resigned from the DEA task force to comply with the federal Hatch Act which prohibits federal employees from engaging in various forms of political activity “I have no regrets concerning this decision as I feel it is the best way I can continue to support the community I grew up in and have called home for all these years,” he said “I am excited at the opportunity to serve (the voters) in this way A Republican running for the Canonsburg-based magistrate’s position was removed from the ballot Monday after it was determined he did not have enough valid signatures on his nominating petition Ivan Casilli had submitted 108 signatures from voters to get on the Republican primary ballot but a review of his paperwork revealed that dozens of them signed their home municipality as “Eighty Four” rather than North Strabane Township which nullified them and dropped him well below the 100 threshold needed to run for the position “I circulated all of these (nominating petitions) myself No one did it for me,” Casilli told Senior Judge Katherine Emery during the hearing challenging his candidacy Monday at the Washington County Courthouse “This is my work and my effort.” “There certainly isn’t any evidence that this was intentional,” Emery responded alleviating any suggestion that something nefarious had happened She immediately struck three voters from his petition because they had already signed paperwork circulated by District Judge James Saieva Jr. who is running for reelection in the magisterial district that includes Canonsburg That left Casilli with only five signatures to spare but that was quickly overcome after attorney Chad Schneider who represented three registered Republicans who challenged the petition found four pages of signatures where voters wrote their mailing address of Eighty Four rather than their home municipality Such errors can only be amended by the signer but Casilli admitted that he crossed out Eighty Four and wrote North Strabane in the slots He told Emery he thought the municipality section that asks voters to write “city borough or township” meant that Eighty Four could be written in that spot but he later learned from the elections office that was not the case since it’s an unincorporated village and not a municipality I had no reason to believe they wouldn’t count,” Casilli said of the registered voters who signed his petition with the intention to support his candidacy Emery said that she had no choice but to nullify all of those signatures making the North Strabane resident ineligible to get on the primary ballot so that will result in you not being on the ballot,” Emery said Even if those signatures had not been stricken from the petition there were several other voters who apparently were not registered as Republicans meaning they could not sign Casilli’s paperwork to get him on the GOP ballot Schneider said it was a moot point and did not ask to have those signatures removed Casilli’s removal from the ballot leaves just Saieva and Charles “Chuckie” Tenny as cross-filed candidates on both the Democratic and Republican ballots in the race for the magistrate during the May 20 primary Tenny’s candidacy was also challenged by the same three voters who questioned Casilli’s signatures – John Lombardo Charles Walnoha and Jacob McCabe-Cavallo – but Emery decided he could remain on the ballot after he showed proof of residency in Canonsburg during a hearing Friday Schneider said Monday that the three clients he represents for the challenge had not yet decided whether to appeal Emery’s decision on Tenny’s candidacy Wendy Hopwood had never felt such grief and despair loved American history and his friends and family and curated a large collection of rare concert T-shirts and athletic shoes – died from a drug overdose after a years-long battle with drug addiction “He was full of energy and so gregarious; his mind was always working,” said Hopwood a Canonsburg resident who winters in Florida she searched for something to help her cope with the loss of her son a hobby she’d picked up about 10 years ago after retiring from a 30-year career as a certified public accountant and I can’t think about that,” said Hopwood During a conversation with a friend in late 2024 Hopwood shared that she was quilting “as kind of a therapy.” Her friend mentioned her own efforts to obtain office furniture and supplies for Sally’s Sanctuary a 50-bed women’s shelter that is being built by City Mission the $7.1 million shelter will provide beds and services to help women get on a better path when they leave What if she made quilts to donate to the women’s shelter channeling her grief and her talents into something that would help women facing their own struggles a nonprofit that provides homemade blankets for seriously ill or traumatized children would help keep her from dwelling on her emotional pain “I planned to make 32 because that’s symbolic “I’m a true believer in what City Mission does which kept women in abusive relationships or other bad situations so the women’s shelter is going to make a difference.” women and families are the fastest-growing homeless populations in the United States and City Mission has to turn away between 50 to 70 women each month because of lack of space said she is grateful for Hopwood’s act of kindness “When you have individuals stepping up to give of their time and talents it shows love to the people we serve and it lets people here know that there are those in the community who want to bless them and it allows them to know they are loved and they are worthy,” said Irey Vaughan “It’s something very tangible that is a reminder of the care and support that is coming from the community The tangible gift of a quilt gives them the hope they need to hope for a brighter future.” Hopwood’s quilts – which are influenced by Kaffe Fassett a titan and rock star in the world of quilting and decorative arts – are ablaze with purples I do what catches my eye and makes me happy and I’m drawn to the bold colors,” said Hopwood “I’ve tried to mute some of them down because I realize not everyone’s going to want a bright one I want everybody to be able to pick out what speaks to them and makes them hopeful.” It takes Hopwood about 40 hours to complete each 70-by-90-inch blanket designed to fit the women’s shelter’s long twin beds She quilts and binds them all on her Bernina sewing machine she stitches in a label that includes a Bible verse and her signature “I found out there’s such a thing as quilter’s elbow,” Hopwood said with a laugh “It’s a strain when you’re moving the heavy weight of a quilt around.” that I’ll be able to get them done in time for the opening,” she said Hopwood said the loss of Adrian is still raw and painful and she knows all too well that addiction “is a disease that does not discriminate.” According to the autopsy report that was released three months after his death Adrian died from an overdose of cocaine mixed with fentanyl is mixed in with other illicit drugs to increase the potency of the drug Drug dealers are increasingly mixing fentanyl into al kinds of drugs “This is a danger to our children,” said Hopwood and it’s the last thing you do,” said Hopwood Hopwood has received calls and letters from friends and family members whose lives have been impacted by the opioid epidemic that has ravaged communities and families across the United States for the past decade “Adrian struggled with drugs for more than half his years,” said Hopwood and they’re still afraid or unwilling to talk about it but I’m also seeing a therapist to help get through some of these feelings about guilt Hopwood is hoping that her quilt project inspires other quilters to make quilts for Sally’s Sanctuary and she plans to keep crafting quilts after she completes the first 50 blankets for the shelter’s opening “I truly believe that in making these quilts I am letting these women know they are loved and worthy and there’s a chance for them to turn their lives around,” said Hopwood “I’m not going to be done after making the initial 50 Incumbent Magisterial District Judge James “Jim” Saieva Jr announced his reelection bid for district court that covers Canonsburg who has been a district judge for more than five years touted his proven ability to be reasonable collected and unbiased when handling thousands of traffic landlord/tenant and criminal cases that have come before him during his time on the bench He has also issued hundreds of emergency “Protection From Abuse” orders when needed in his fight against domestic violence He has attended the Pennsylvania Judicial Center in Harrisburg yearly to obtain recertification to strengthen his skills and knowledge as a judge Saieva said he takes pride in the fact that his office has had exceptional audits – performed by both the state of Pennsylvania and Washington County – with zero findings and no further recommendations needed He credited his reliable staff for the cost-effective work they do each day “We’ve worked collaboratively since day one in my office (in) January 2020,” Saieva said Saieva instituted a change in office hours in his first term to readily accommodate residents when scheduling their hearings extending the office hours on Mondays until 6 p.m. thus preventing work or school hours to be missed I have the chance to make a positive impact on people on a case-by-case basis as well as an individual-by-individual basis.” Saieva said “I always encourage individuals to claim accountability for their actions I commend them for taking the necessary steps to better themselves and support them throughout the process.” Saieva ran for office in 2019 after retiring from Canonsburg Borough Police Department he was employed at Hanover Township Police Department and Houston Borough Police Department He was involved in an incident in 2016 where he was exposed to gunfire and shot by a suspect during a domestic violence incident in Canonsburg along with Dalia Sabae and her unborn child As a result of Saieva’s actions during the incident he was awarded for his bravery and commitment to his community House of Representatives-Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition Award; Canonsburg’s Medal of Honor; Canonsburg Police Purple Heart Award; FBI-Exceptional Service in the Public Service Award; Pennsylvania State Fraternal Order of Police Valor Award; 2017 Amen Corner Senator John Heinz Law Enforcement Above and Beyond Award; and Washington County 911 Hard Work Sacrifice and Service to the Community Award Saieva decided to run for magistrate so he could continue to serve and protect the Borough of Canonsburg Saieva said he believes justice is served when everyone has fair access to the court system regardless of their disability He has continued to be available for arraignments search warrants or arrest warrants at any time to aid law enforcement He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Edinboro University and graduated from the Municipal Police Academy at Indiana University of Pennsylvania He is a graduate of Canon-McMillan High School He also is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No and the Washington County Republican Party Saieva has made Houston his home for the past three decades with his wife of 32 years He is a Republican who plans to cross-file for the May 20 primary election Questions are being raised about the residency of a candidate running for Canonsburg area magistrate and whether he lives in Washington County or in neighboring Fayette Three Democrats and three Republicans filed separate challenges Tuesday hoping to have Charles “Chuckie” Tenny removed from the ballot as a cross-filed candidate for the district judge race that covers Canonsburg At the heart of the challenge are questions about whether Tenny lives in the Canonsburg Borough house he’s owned since 2001 and where he’s registered to vote or if he actually resides in a Menallen Township home in Fayette County that he and his wife Tenny has been registered to vote at the Canonsburg address since 2010 while his wife is currently registered at the Menallen Township residence Tenny said he has not yet been served with the challenges so he was unsure what exactly the accusations were in the filings he said he has an attorney ready to defend him and he’ll provide all the proof he needs to show that he lives at the Canonsburg address “I don’t have anything to hide look at my driver’s license and utility bills,” Tenny said “I’ll gladly fight anybody in court to represent the loving people of North Strabane Canonsburg and Houston as their next magisterial district court judge.” Washington County’s real estate website shows Tenny as the owner of the Canonsburg Borough home but he has not filed for homestead exemption at the property that’s available to homeowners who live at the property Asked by a reporter why he and his wife would be registered to vote in different counties “Our living styles aren’t anybody’s business “I’ll show you everything you want to see.” cross-filed as both a Democrat and Republican for the May 20 primary election to run against incumbent District Judge James Saieva Jr. who also cross-filed to run in both parties filed paperwork to run in the Republican primary although his candidacy is also being challenged with questions raised about the validity of 13 of the 108 signatures on his petition Frank Tatano and David Holliday filed the challenges against Tenny while registered Republicans John Lombardo Charles Walnoha and Jacob McCabe-Cavallo filed the challenges against both Tenny and Casilli Only two other challenges were filed in Washington County by Tuesday’s deadline both of which were for supervisor races in Cecil Township Democrat Michael Kazmarski is being challenged since his financial interest statement was placed in the township municipal office’s night drop box and retrieved by the secretary March 12 – the morning after the deadline – while Republican Daniel Ostrowski never submitted his financial statement to the township No court dates have been set for a judge in the Washington County Courthouse to hear the challenges and make a ruling on a candidate’s eligibility to run in the primary No election challenges were filed statewide or in Greene and Fayette counties Copyright © Herald-Standard | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Crystal Sensky (second from left) and husband Jeremi Sensky of Canonsburg are flanked by daughter Heaven Sensky Kirsch and son-in-law Casey Kirsch at a concert in May in Pittsburgh A Canonsburg man was among those injured when a man drove a truck around a police blockade and into a crowd of revelers during New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans was in surgery Wednesday night after being hurt in what authorities termed a terrorist attack by an Army veteran early Wednesday appears to have been returning to his hotel after enjoying pizza with friends The family grew frantic after Sensky didn’t respond to phone calls “We thought he was likely dead for hours because he wasn’t picking up his phone,” Kirsch said She said she rushed with her mother to the closest trauma unit and sat in the waiting room hoping to get some information on her father “We prayed he was there and alive,” Kirsch said Nurses told the family that there was a paralyzed man at the hospital who was alive Both of his legs were broken when he was struck by the pickup “He laid there a while after a police officer marked him ‘alive’ on his forehead,” Kirsch said “They told him they’d be back for him because there were (others with) worse injuries My dad told me shots were being fired over him,” she said She was able to speak with her father before he went into surgery Wednesday night at University Medical Center New Orleans “I am frightened and anxious,” Kirsch said Her father is expected to survive his injuries TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need Jeremi Sensky described his feelings Thursday after barely surviving the terrorist who mowed down people in a pick-up truck in New Orleans early New Year’s Day “I’m just happy to be alive,” is how Sensky of Canonsburg described his feelings to CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Thursday an Army veteran from Texas whom authorities identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar acted alone in an “act of terrorism” when he drove the pickup into the crowd President Joe Biden said the driver posted videos on social media hours before the carnage saying he was inspired by the Islamic State group and expressing a desire to kill Sensky’s two legs were crushed in the incident She said a bone was protruding from one of her father’s legs before the surgery who has used a wheelchair since being injured in a car accident several years ago A police officer marked on Sensky’s forehead that the Pittsburgh-area man was alive then told him to wait while first responders tended to others Sensky told his family he heard multiple gunshots as he lay on the ground The alleged attacker was killed Wednesday in a gunfight with police Sensky and his family had traveled by car to Louisiana after stopping in Nashville around the holidays The family began to worry early Wednesday when Sensky didn’t return to his hotel room on Magazine Street a 6-mile stretch that runs along the Mississippi River and connects Downtown New Orleans to the city’s tree-shaded Garden District Kirsch said she later found her father in a local trauma unit Sensky told Cooper he was disoriented and did not recall being hit by the truck but was conscious when he fell to the ground He started searching for his cellphone among the debris from his wheelchair so he could call his wife The vehicle was stopped just yards from where Sensky was laying on the ground “First thing I remember when I hit the ground He was hoping he was clear from the gunfire but he thought he might have been on the ground to avoid the gunfire Sensky also recounted what he recalled for NBC Nightly News “When I turned around pretty much all I remembered until I was on the ground and I came back and there was this people screaming and I was laying on the ground and I saw all my wheelchair parts on the ground beside me,” Sensky said he came over and he told me that there was a lot of people didn’t make it … and I was lucky to be alive Sensky told CNN’s Cooper that it will be awhile before he ever goes back to Bourbon Street but said the experience should not deter people from living their lives “I don’t want people to be afraid to come out and do things on their own This could happen anywhere,” Sensky said known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties Large crowds also had gathered in the city ahead of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl which had been scheduled for later Wednesday at the nearby Superdome The game was postponed following the attack Justin Vellucci is a TribLive reporter covering crime and public safety in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. A longtime freelance journalist and former reporter for the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press, he worked as a general assignment reporter at the Trib from 2006 to 2009 and returned in 2022. He can be reached at jvellucci@triblive.com Stay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE 1-800-909-8742 © 2025 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved About Us Advertise Career Opportunities Contact Advertising Contact Circulation Contact Newsroom Contact Us Feedback Request Correction Resource Center Scholarship Opportunities Send Letter to the Editor Send News Tip Subscribe Subscriber Services Blog eFeatures Email Newsletters eTrib Facebook Home Delivery Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Minute Store Locations TribLIVE App - App Store TribLIVE App - Google Play X (formerly Twitter) Arts & Entertainment Best of the Best Business Directory Circulars Contests Coronavirus Lifestyles Local News YaJagOff Obituaries Opinion Our Publications Photos Real Estate Sports Video Weather Cookie Settings Privacy Policy Terms of Service The Canonsburg Police Department has earned accreditation from the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission an achievement accomplished by just a small percentage of the state’s approximately 1,100 police departments Lee Bernson of PLEAC presented the police department with its Certificate of Law Enforcement Accreditation the Canonsburg Police Department has been working to become an accredited law enforcement agency through the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association Accreditation helps police departments evaluate and improve their overall performances by adopting and maintaining the best practices and current policies in law enforcement The Canonsburg Police Department worked intensively to create and implement policies and procedures to several hundreds of accreditation standards and sub-standards that cover topics including training “We knew several years ago that we wanted to achieve accreditation which is elite status and a big accomplishment in law enforcement,” said Canonsburg Police Chief Alex Coghill “I think it establishes a legacy of excellence for the police department and our officers and it serves as a blueprint for the future.” with only about 171 police departments (including Peters Township Police Department and Pennsylvania Western University – California campus in Washington County) out of the commonwealth’s estimated 1,100 police departments earning accreditation an independent team of assessors visited the police department for an extensive on-site assessment that included a review of the department’s physical facility and an examination of proofs of compliance with the standards deputy chief and I wanted to be a police department that is the best of the best,” said Canonsburg Mayor David Rhome “I am extremely proud of the work that Chief Coghill the officers of the Canonsburg Police Department and how everyone came together to make this happen.” Accreditation establishes guidelines for evaluating the department’s practices and procedures The goal is for departments who implement those practices and incorporate them every day in their policing to be more effective for their communities and to deliver better services to residents Coghill noted that accreditation is ongoing “The unique part is that every year you have to prove you are doing what’s required to meet accreditation standards,” Coghill said “I think the community can rest knowing the police department that serves them is following the highest standards of law enforcement.” There will be plenty of goodies to go around for children in Canonsburg this evening as they hit the streets for trick-or-treating Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop on West Pike Street donated more than $10,000 worth of candy to the Canonsburg Volunteer Fire Department and Canonsburg Police Department to distribute throughout the borough “They drive their trucks around on trick-or-treat night throughout the community and pass out candy to the kids and Grandpa Joe’s is proud to give them that candy to hand out,” said Christopher Beers owner and founder of Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop Trick-or-treat in the borough is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m who also is a member of the fire department said five of the department’s fire trucks and at least four police cars will patrol the streets “We will work to make things as safe as we can,” Rhome said “The fire department and the police department will be out with all of their vehicles patrolling all of the streets in the community the vehicles will stop in an area where they see a lot of kids and pass out the goodies No child should go through Halloween without receiving candy.” Beers was quick to show his appreciation for the fire and police departments and for their presence on Halloween night “I know my kids look forward to the flashing lights in the middle of the night,” Beers said “They know they’re going to get candy from the firemen It’s a cool way for the community kids to connect with those important people that are helping our community.” Beers said this has become an annual endeavor for the candy store and some pretty significant treats will be distributed “We have a reputation ourselves to uphold,” Beers said Trick-or-treat night is all about the fun candy I think the kids are going to be surprised about the fun stuff they’re going to receive this year so we treat the Canonsburg community a little bit differently than we do some of our other communities It’s really important for me to be involved and do my part as a business owner in the community to do my part for the kids.” Rhome praised Beers’ generosity and the candy that will be part of this year’s Halloween festivities and his generosity is overwhelming,” Rhome said “There’s just an overwhelming amount of product that he has given to the police and fire (departments) “Wouldn’t it be nice if everybody would show just a little generosity Let’s get back to caring about each other.”